We can define average velocity as,
"the total distance displacement of an object divided by total time taken."
We can say that an object has had displacement if its final position is different from its initial position. Therefore, the formula becomes:
average velocity = total displacement / total time
Keep in mind that displacement is a vector quantity, so it is possible for an object to have covered a distance but if its starting and final positions are the same, then it has had no displacement.